A Mother's Instinct
by Miss H Swan
Summary: After an argument with Edward, Bella just needs some advice and comfort. Enter Esme stage right...


A Mother's Instinct 

When Bella comes over she is usually really happy and in love, something I have worked out as her feelings always affect Jasper who throws it back out to us all so everyone in the house feels happy and in love but today was different. She and Edward entered the house together, not saying a word to each other, Edward slammed the door and went up to his bedroom and put on some music Bella, on the other hand, went and sat on the sofa downstairs by herself. It was just myself and them in the house because my darling Carlisle was working a shift at the hospital and the others were all either out hunting or, in Alice and Rosalie's case, shopping.

After a few minutes I heard Bella start to sob quietly to herself. It was then that I vacated my design room and set off downstairs to comfort her.

'_What did you say to hurt her this much Edward?' _I thought to Edward, he simply ignored me and turned the music up louder in an attempt to cover Bella's sobs which would be tearing him apart inside for causing her this pain. I entered the room to see Bella sat on the sofa with her head in her hands hunched over slightly. I sat next to her quietly and was just about to touch her when she spoke.

"How could you say that to me Edward? You have no idea how much that hurt me." Her speech was laden with tears and hurt.

"It's me honey, not Edward." I put an arm around her shoulders, she looked up and I could see her eyes were bloodshot, tear tracks stained her face also but she was still my beautiful daughter.

"Oh Esme, I'm sorry you had to hear that." Bella swallowed and attempted a smile before breaking down again. I pulled her in tighter to my side.

"Tell me what he did, baby, I'll make sure it gets resolved just tell me."

"Oh mom it hurt so much!" Bella threw her arms around me in a hug and I pulled her onto my lap. It had always been her and Carlisle that had the parental relationship; I guess it was my turn now. "Those words felt like blades stabbing against my skin."

In the course of the next hour in which Bella calmed down in I managed to gather that Edward and Bella had had an argument over some things that some of their fellow students had said and the rumours that had been a consequence of said things. The one they had rowed about was that Bella wasn't good enough for us and that we were taking her in out of pity. Bella had accidentally brought it up in a conversation and Edward had said it was the opposite way around and that maybe she should have left him for the Volturi. She had begged him not to leave and he had asked if she was stupid and that he wouldn't do that because of the consequences on her and the family. He had said, quote: 'Knowing this lot, you would jump off a cliff or something else that promotes life threatening idiocy, Alice would see it and stop me before I could even pass the state border, Jasper would get depressed and might have a setback, Emmett would stop making jokes, Rosalie would care out of decency but would be angry with me for making Emmett un-jokey, Carlisle would take on more work and get depressed and blame himself, Esme would be unchangeably depressed because of losing two children and her family falling apart and everyone would blame me for your death. So Bella do you really think I'm going to leave again?'

"You'll be alright, I know it. Your love is too strong to fall apart." I kissed the top of Bella's head

"But mom, what if just this once love isn't enough?" I heard Edward turn down the music to hear my answer more clearly

"Well then I suppose Edward will just have to suck up his pride and apologise and grovel at your feet until you decide he's been punished enough." I thought for a moment before answering. I heard Edward sigh and vacate his room. I placed Bella back on the sofa and moved into the kitchen, she didn't notice while mulling over my words.

"Bella?" I heard Edward whisper, Bella's head snapped up and she stood.

"Yes?" her tone was clipped

"I want to apolo-" Bella interrupted looking murderous

"How dare you come down here and want to apologise after what you said to me." Bella was about to hit him with all of her strength when he grabbed her wrist and when she tried to do the same with the other hand he grabbed the other one.

"Bella, love calm down. Hitting me will only hurt you." Edward was still quiet, shame coloured his voice

"How dare you tell me to calm down? I could kill you at the moment I'm that hurt and angry." Edward let go once he was safe and she began to walk away from him, he got hold of her again and pulled her back gently.

"Hey! Let go of me you jerk!" Bella yelled. Edward kissed her and when he pulled away he spoke.

"I love you, Bella." Both I and Edward could tell she was still furious and was about to tell him to get off her thus Edward pulled her into a big hug tight by human standards. She was struggling against his arms but eventually she just gave up and began to cry again; this time clinging to Edward. He remained silent and just rubbed her back to calm her. After ten minutes he spoke to her again, his voice still soft.

"Better? Are you still angry with me?" Bella was silent for an awfully long time before Edward decided that she wouldn't be answering the question "Everything's alright, love. We'll be alright." Edward kissed the top of her hair easily with the height difference. It was one of the sweetest things I have ever seen easily.

It suddenly dawned on me why Alice had installed a colour CCTV camera that morning in the living room now.


End file.
